Extreme Coupon FAQ : Overage & Filler
Date : 9/13/9
I read that some of you have some issues on overage.
GreenThumb wrote in :
“GreenThumb
September 13, 2009 at 3:41 pm (Edit)
Everyone who posts on this website seems to be doing well & having fun…I’m not. Walgreens has Dove deodorant on sale for 1.99 and I tried to use a 2.00 manufacturer coupon. They would not accept it because the coupon was more than the item costs, by 1 cent, even though I still had to pay sales tax. The manager kept talking louder & louder until she was screaming at me & making a scene. How do you get them to accept a coupon in this situation?”
Lisa Wrote in :
“Lisa
September 13, 2009 at 6:15 pm (Edit)
I had that same problem, but at the counter there were some cowtales 3 for $1 so I grabbed one of them to make it over by like .33.”
And followed by Nicole :
“Nicole
September 13, 2009 at 8:35 pm (Edit)
Yes, Walgreens is very strict about the total before tax when you use coupons. I’ve had a tough time with them, so I always make sure that I get something cheap that will put me over the edge by just a little bit before tax. When they are screaming at you just smile and remember that you are saving money; it’s your hard earned cash!”
And I decided to put all these questions into this post titled : “Extreme Coupon FAQ : Overage & Filler”
Overage is when :
a. coupons $ value > the $ value of the products you purchase
b. number of coupon > the number of the products you purchase
Scenerio
In Store A, Dove deodorant is $4 :
You use 1 $2 Manufacturer coupon and 1 $2 Target coupon
* You have 1 problem here,
# of coupons > # of products
————————————————————
In Store B, Dove deodorant is buy 1 get 1 free at $4
You use 2 $2 Manufacturer coupon and 2 $2 Target coupon
-The coupons value = $8 > the products value $4
- # of coupons = 4 > # of products = 2
You have 2 problems here :
a. Value of coupons > value of products
b. # of coupons > # of products
How do you solve this (these) problems ?
The solution is termed “filler(s)” in extreme couponing.
You find cheap products to make up the number and values
In Publix, I like lemon or instant noddles for fillers
Lemon is 20cents each and instant noddles (roman noddles) are 4 for 87cents. I use these products a lot
Like Kevin stated in his comment that he is using my method of shopping now. How do I shop ? I usually spend $25 to $25 (before coupon) per trip because I make full use of my $5 off $25 store coupons,. I always do my calculation before I go to store to maximize my savings. I make sure I do not have the above 2 problems. Most stores will not give you money back. The case that I got $1.07 cents back is very unusual.
Let say in our scenario B, we have 4 coupons and we only have 2 products ; and the value of the coupons is $8 and the value of the good is $4.
This is what I will do :
I will buy up to close $3 worth of meat and get $1 worth of noddles or lemon (lemon and instant noddles to make up the number, meat to make up the value)
So this is what I will do.
Dove $4 (2 bottles )
Meat ~ $3 (1 pack)
Instant noddles 87cents (4packs)
Lemon 20cents (1)
——————-
Total value before coupons $8.07
Coupons used
2 x $2 Manufacturer Q + 2 x $2 Target Q = $8
Pay out of pocket = 7cents
We solve our problem :
Number of coupons = 8
Number of products = 8
Value of coupons = $8
Value of Goods = $8.07
You paid 7cents for all these ~ $3 meat + 2 Dove deodorant + 1 lemon + 4packs of instant noddles
Not free but I think we all can afford 7cents. And the best part is we do not get the manager’s wrath 
Great ?
Let me hear from your experience what fillers you find in the stores in Gainesville. I like to compile all of them and post them in this web site so all of us will benefit from our experience.
Thank You !
hello- i’ve had trouble with clerks saying the web coupons are fakes and refuse to take them. about 7 to 10 min later a manager has to get involved. time is money! what should i do? judith
This week I have been getting the kraft boxes of mac and cheese. They are on sale for $0.67– not the cheapest filler but the kids love it and it’s almost 1/2 original price. In my house, you can never have enough mac and cheese
Judith,
Which store is that ? They must not understand that internet print coupon is legitimate as long as you do not photo copy or scan it.
For those of you who used scanned or photo copies internet coupons, please do not do it ! If you think the cashier did not know and let you do, you are spoiling this extreme coupon for all of us because when the store send to the manufacturers and the manufacturers refuse the coupons and send them back to them. They will eventually crack down the use.
Look at this extreme coupon with a long term perspective.
Those of us who has good paying job might not be hurt too much without extreme coupon, please be mindful of those who lost their jobs and are struggling in this situation.
I cannot stop people from coming to my site or other sites to print coupons but at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself the question, I just ask, are you doing it for long term or shot term ?
This week Walgreen’s has had tons of stuff on clearance. Today I found those pill-sorter boxes on clearance for .10. I’ve seen packets of seeds for .05 (bought canteloupe and squash, and may actually try planting them in the spring, as we eat lots of those!)
Earlier this week, Giardelli Luxe bars (Duet) were on clearance for .65. There is also a Wag’s q for $1/2 in their September booklet, making it about .30 for two. I doubt there are many of those bars left, but I’ve seen tons of other candy on clearance for .22 or so.